Pressure washer console



United States Patent Inventor Jerry J. Tepper 7201 Sheridan Blvd.,Arvada, Colorado 80002 Appl. No. 797,558

Filed Feb. 7, 1969 Patented Dec. 1, 1970 PRESSURE WASHER CONSOLE 8Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl E03b 11/00 Field of Search 137/266, 265, 263,259,572, 571,575;239/414, 304;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Mohr....

Hix

Kaufmann Borys Poppitz Primary ExaminerM. Cary Nelson AssistantExmniner-R. B. Rothman Att0rneyC. B. Messenger 137/266 l37/265X 137/571XABSTRACT: High-pressure apparatus for cleaning muddy, greasy, and soiledsurfaces which includes a multistage pump selectively interconnectableto storage compartment sources for solvents, heated water, and/orcleaners and rinsing solutions with apparatus for regulating the supplylevel and the discharge rate of the variously useable solutions and/orcombinations thereof.

Patented Dec. 1,1970 3,543,787

Sheet 1 of 2 INVENTOR I JERRY J. TEPPER BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1,1970 Sheet Egg-.35

' INVENTOR. JERRY J. TEPPER BY ATTORNEY PRESSURE WASHER CONSOLEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present development is made in the fieldof pressurized washers of the type used for cleaning large equipment,overthe-road carriers, food and industrial processing equipment, plantinteriors and the like. In such field the equipment supplants theprevious widespread usage of steam to accomplish the desired cleaning ina more economical and less troublesome manner. The combination equipmentutilizes water expelled under high pressure as the main cleaning andrinsing ingredient. With use of proper combinations of solutions alltypes of equipment can be efficiently cleaned by the present apparatus.Any of the cleaning solvents or rinsing solutions used are expelledthrough an operator nozzle at a pressure in excess of 1,000 pounds. Thecleaning power of such solutions is, accordingly, supplemented by theexcess pressure of application.

Some previous cleaning apparatus has been built utilizing ahigh-pressure washing principle. In general, the apparatus of thepresent invention is intended to provide a larger and more efficientapparatus to work in the higher pressure ranges to accomplish moreefficient article cleaning. The combination of supply reservoirs andinlet and discharge controls therefor makes economical and efficientcleaning of many different types of equipment having different qualitiesof soiled surfaces possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated, the present invention provideshigh-pressure washer apparatus in which a multistage pump together witha drive motor therefor is mounted integrally with storage compartmentsor reservoirs adapted to receive various liquids that can be usedbeneficially to obtain efficient cleaning of soiled equipment. Controlvalves for regulating the discharge of separate solutions are provided.Through manipulation of such valves, prewash, wash, and rinse cycles canbe accomplished by regulation of the solutions introduced into the pumpand pressurized thereby before discharge through an operator dischargenozzle. Regulating means is provided to interconnect a plurality of thestorage compartments and the individual control valves therefor toobtain beneficial and efficient intermixing of chosen solutions toprovide an improved cleaning result.

It is an object of the invention to provide an integral and compactapparatus combination that is adaptable for the efficient washing ofvarious types of soiled equipment.

It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus that may bemanufactured economically and that may be used by untrained personnel toefficiently and economically clean soiled equipment.

A further object is to provide apparatus for the efficient intermixingof cleaner solutions and water to obtain optimum cleaning resultseconomically.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the appended description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation with partsshown in dotted outline;

FIG. 2 is a top view in broken section illustrating the apparatus andthe respective reservoirs with the reservoir covers removed; and

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation with parts shown in dotted outline.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the accompanying FIGS. apressure washer console 11 is illustrated. The console includes a bedframe 12 and a plurality of upright standards 13 providing support forelevated tank compartments or reservoirs. A reservoir 14 for thereception and storage of heated water is separated from a tank 16 forthe reception and storage of solvent solutions by a bulkhead 17 disposedtherebetween. A cleaner solution receptacle I8 is disposed above thesolvent tank 16 and is maintained separate therefrom by the bottom 19.

The base frame 12 provides support for a multistage, highpressure pump21 having an input drive wheel 22 that is connected to a drive motor 23by a belt drive 24. A fluid manifold 26 is interconnected to the inletof the pump by an inlet hose 27. A screen trap 28 is provided in suchcircuit so that all liquids delivered from the manifold 26 will bescreened before introduction into the pump. The liquids and solutionsintroduced into the pump are pressurized by the multistages thereof andare delivered through an outlet 31 to an operator wand 32 by a longhigh-pressure hose 33. The wand 32 has a cross handle 34 to facilitatemanipulation thereof so that the discharge nozzle 36 may be directed atsurfaces that are to be washed.

A pressure relief valve 37 is provided in a circuit interconnected inthe outlet 31. The stem 38 of the pressure relief valve may be regulatedto change the output pressure as indicated on the pressure scale 39. Abypass circuit 41 intercon- 'nects the discharge of the pressure reliefvalve back to the head 42 of the pump so that excess pressurized liquidcan be returned to the pump for subsequent pressured discharge.

A plurality of control valves are disposed on the manifold 26 so thatseparate solutions may be introduced into the inlet of the pump. A firstcontrol valve 51 regulates the introduction of solvents or similarmaterials from the tank 16. A second valve 52 regulates the introductionand use of rinse water, and the third valve 53 regulates theintroduction and use of heated water from the reservoir 14. The valve 51is connected by pipe 43 to an outlet 44 in the tank 16. The valve 52 isconnected by a pipe or hose 46 to a tee-fitting 47 on an input line 48disposed at the rear of console 11. The valve 53 is connected to a drainoutlet 54 in the reservoir 14 by a conduit 49.

At the rear of the washer apparatus console 11 inlet line 48 IS used tointroduce water or other liquid into the separate supplies. The inletline 48 includes a check valve 56 and a control valve 57. Branch piping58 delivers the input liquid into the reservoir 14 while separate branchpiping 59 can be used to deliver the same liquid into the tank 16. Astopcock 61 is used to open, close, or regulate flow to the branchpiping 59 as desired. Branch piping 58 is connected inside of thereservoir 14 to a ball float valve 62 as shown in FIG. 2. This ballfloat valve 62 regulates the level ofliquid introduced into thereservoir 14.

Cleaning powders or solutions are introduced into receptacle 18. Thedischarge of these cleaners from the receptacle 18 passes through anoutlet 63 to an on-off valve 64. From the on-off valve the discharge iscarried by tube 66 to a regulable metering valve 67 before it isdelivered by tube 68 to a point of discharge in reservoir 14 for directintermixture in the heated water supply retained therein.

A push-pull control cable 71 interconnects a handle 69 on the on-offvalve 64 and the operator handle 72 for the valve 53. A pivoted cablereceptacle 73 on the handle 72 energizes reciprocal movement of thecable 71 as the handle 72 is rotated. Accordingly, when heated waterfrom the reservoir 14 is being introduced to the pump, a regulatedquantity of cleaning solution from the receptacle 18 will be introducedby the tube 68 into the heated water reservoir. This coordinateddischarge of heated water and cleaner will maintain a regulatedintermixture of cleaner and heated water in the reservoir 14 asnecessary to obtain the most efficient cleaning of items being washed bythe pressure washer 11.

In a typical use of the apparatus where surfaces to be cleaned areheavily soiled with grease and grime, the solvent control valve 51 isfirst opened so that a cleaning solvent is discharged into the pump forpressurized application by the nozzle 36. Various types of petroleumsolvents are usually used for this presoaking or prewash operation.Kerosene, diesel fuel and similar liquids can be used. These solventscan likewise incorporate various additional solutions and detergents inorder to speed the wetting and soil loosening capabilities of thesolvent.

After a dirty surface has been coated with solvent from the tank 16, thecontrol valve 51 is closed, and subsequently the control valve 53 ismanipulated to introduce a water and cleaner combination from thereservoir 14. Usually heated water is preferred in this washing cycle.Accordingly, the inlet 55 may be connected directly to a hot water tankor other hot water supply so that all liquid introduced into thereservoir 14 will be heated. Since movement of the valve 53 iscoordinated to provide opening for the on-off valve 64, a regulatedquantity of cleaner solution will be automatically introduced into thereservoir 14. Since various washing operations may require a differentconcentration of cleaner solution in the hot water, the metering valve67 may be regulated to control the flow rate of such solution. Thecombination of an on-off valve 64 and metering valve 67 is desirable,since better regulation of the cleaning solution introduction isobtained by such combination. With the valve system illustrated theconcentration and strength of the water and cleaning solution mixturemay be closely regulated. When the metering valve 67 is accurately setwith respect to the discharge flow from the operator nozzle 36, theconcentration and strength of the solution retained in or dischargedfrom reservoir 14 will be quite constant. For most washing operations apredetermined positioning of me tering valve 67 will provide anefficient solution strength Where the apparatus is to be used incleaning of a single type of equipment, the setting for the meteringvalve 67 can be established, and thereafter no additional operatorattention to this detail will be required. Whenever the valve 53 isopened a proper quantity ofcleaner solution will be intermixed with theliquid in reservoir 14.

After a washing cycle has been completed the valve 53 will be closed,and valve 52 may be opened to introduce cold water from inlet 48 andpipes 46 directly into the pump 21 to provide a final cleaning. Variousmixtures of hot and cold water may be used for all other prewash andwashing operations. As shown in FIG. 3, hot water is introduced at theinlet 55, while the cold water is introduced at the inlet 68.Adjustments of the valves 57 and 60 can be made to change the mixedwater temperature being introduced through the branch piping 58 toreservoir 14. Heated water together with varying quantities of coldwater may likewise be introduced by the branch piping 59 into the tank16 when stopcock 61 and valve 57 are open. When heated water is beingused, the check valve 56 operates to prevent reverse flow of heatedwater into the cold water inlet system. This check valve not onlyprevents the loss ofhot water in the rinsing cycle, but it furtherprevents contamination of the inlet water system. Where the unit isconnected to a city water supply, the check valve, accordingly, serves adual purposev The entire apparatus is compact and sturdy. Where thetanks and reservoir are made of stainless steel, the apparatus andconsole ll can itself be kept in clean condition. The console may bemounted on roller support elements, and, accordingly, it can be easilymoved to different positions of use. Apparatus made in accordance withthe illustrated embodiment ofthe invention operates at a pressure of1,400 p.s.i. and delivers pressurized liquid at the rate ofapproximately 4 gallons per minute. The apparatus has been beneficiallyintroduced into the food processing plants and into separate industriesfor cleaning trucks and road equipment and aircraft. its use in shopsand service centers has substantially improved equipment maintenanceconditions.

lclaim:

l. Pressure washer apparatus comprising a frame support, a plurality ofsolution reservoirs on said support to receive and hold different liquidsolutions, a pump on said support for pressurizing solutions from saidreservoirs, flow conduits interconnecting said pump and reservoirs,control elements for selectively introducing solutions from saidreservoirs to said pump, means interconnecting at least two of saidreservoirs whereby solution combinations may be obtained by theintermixture of said solutions, separate valve means for controlling theintermixture of said solutions, and means interconnecting at least oneof said control elements and said separate valve means for conjointoperation whereby a regulated intermix' ture of said solutions isobtained for introduction to said pump.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reservoirs areelevated above the pump for gravity flow of solutions to said pump.

3. Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control elements andseparate valve means are at remote positions, and further comprisingmechanical linkage means for the interconnection thereof.

4. Structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said linkage means is acable.

5. Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said separate valve meansis inclusive of an off or full-flow on-valve.

6. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein one solution reservoir iselevated with respect to another reservoir for gravity flow of onesolution therebetween with said flow being regulated by said off-onvalve.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising a meteringvalve for use conjointly with said separate valve means for theregulation of solution flowv 8. Structure as set forth in claim 7wherein said control elements and separate valve means are at remotepositions one from the other, and further comprising a push-pull cablelinkage means therebetween for the conjoint operation thereof.

